


I Remember You

by Castianity_x



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Cancer, Cronus is a good big brother, Eridan has gender issues, F/M, Humanstuck, M/M, Multi, Some Fluff, Some angst, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-15
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-02-17 13:19:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2311046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castianity_x/pseuds/Castianity_x
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hiatus Over! ! Guuuys, Sorry. . Could y'all leave suggestions for human Signless' s name? ?</p></blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A young man sits on a semi-rusted bench, silently watching cars speed past on the nearby road. His staring was for a reason, obviously. A reason he thought was at least a little bit more important than the patch of daisies littering the grass that grew near the bench, yet for some reason he couldn't tear his eyes away from the little flowers. 

It really was a beautiful day, even he had to admit, but sitting out front of a hospital can become depressing after a while. Unfortunately, none of the cars driving past was the one he'd been keeping his eye out for. Or, had previously been watching out for.   
A few more minutes lazed by before he glanced back up to see if his ride had decided to show up after all. Instead of a road, though, he was confronted by boobs. Startled, He jumped a bit, nearly falling off of the bench. 

"Be careful, jumping around like that. You might fall face first into those beautiful daises." The owner of previously mentioned boobs chuckled softly. 

Recognizing the strangers voice, our young man groaned, pushing himself off of the bench. "A w-warning that you w-were here might a' been nice." He mumbled, wincing when he stuttered over the W. 

He'd had this little speech problem since he was a kid. It affected the way he pronounced W's and V's, even after years of speech therapy. It'd been a problem as long as he could remember, but he was pretty sure it had gotten worse after his mother had died in a car crash when he was around five years old.

Before that it was barely noticeable, but it wasn't exactly surprising that her death had affected him in such a strong way. He had always been very...very attached to his mother. Her death changed him completely. He grew detached, self-absorbed and bitter. 

"I didn't want to distract you from your thoughts. You looked like you were thinking about something pretty important." She spoke, urging him to tell her what it was he had been thinking about with her tone. Instead of that, though, he simply started walking towards her car. A jade green van, with four rows that each sat three people. Not even including the front seats. The young man's friend owned a daycare, the large car was necessary. 

 

"Eridan. Come on, I can tell your upset. Talk to me. Is it about your Mother? Her birthday is coming up soon, isn't it?" She inquired softly, her voice motherly and caring. The young man--Eridan, scowled as he opened the passenger door and climbed in. He was buckling his seat as his friend did the same. 

"I don't w-want to talk about it, Kan." He mumbled, staring down at his faded black shoes. The violet shoestrings were obviously much more interesting to him than talking to the kind young lady. She sighed, giving a slight nod of understanding. She, also, buckled her seat belt, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel as she started to drive across the parking lot, and away from the hospital. After a few minutes of stuffy silence, she rolled down her window and glanced over at Eridan. "So.." She started quietly. 

"How did the test go?" Her voice was timid, and worried. He grunted, as if the answer wasn't important to him. "It's gone." He said after a moment, looking boredly out the window. He tensed as he felt the car jolt a bit. 

"What do you mean, 'it's gone' ?" She asked. His body relaxed and he frowned, waving her off, rather sassily. 

"I mean, its gone. M'not sick anymore. I am one hundred percent Cancer free. Need I explain more thoroughly, Miss Maryam?" He snapped, growing impatient with her questioning. 

This time, she frowned as well, but let his attitude slide. "You don't sound very excited not to be, you know, dying anymore, is all.." She said, glancing over at him once again. She only got a shrug in response.   
Miss. Kan Maryam replied with a motherly sigh, and turned on her radio. She tuned it to the alternative rock station that Eridan liked and kept driving. 

The rest of the ride home was relatively quiet, aside from "Centuries" playing, because when is that not on?

The van stopped in front of Eridan's house within five minutes, and he got out of the car without hesitation. He paused for a moment before he shut the cars door and looked at his lady friend. "Kan.. Kanaya, thank you. For all this. Driv-vin' me around n'shit.." He said awkwardly. Kanaya nodded, smiling softly.

"It was nothing. I enjoy spending time with you, in spite of of myself, Ampora. Your truly not all that bad, despite what others might think. Take away your Princess-y attitude, and there's a Prince underneath." Her lips curled into a smirk, and she winked before pulling the vans door shut for him. Eridan blinked slowly, frowning and blushing a bit.

"I don't hav-ve a Princess-y attitude! " He complained to himself as the car sped away. With a very Princess-y huff and pout, Eridan turned on his heels and flounced into his house, his stride dainty and ever-so-elegant. He walked through the house slowly, shedding his clothes as he made his way to the bathroom. By the time he reached the spiral staircase, he was fully naked. He made the rest of his journey in the nude, stopping at the bathroom door a few minutes later. Eridan turned on the shower, waiting a few seconds to be sure that the water was to the proper temperature. Once the water was decidedly perfect, not too hot, and not too cold, he stepped in.   
He grimaced at his reflection in the mirror his father had installed in the shower. 

As much as he did love him, Eridan thought his father was a self-absorbed fool. Exactly the type to put a mirror in a shower. But he had to admit, he was nearly a splitting image of his father. In looks and in personality. Well, he had been. Until last year, when he had been diagnosed with his cancer. 

The doctors had said that he had a few good years left in him, but as he rested his forehead against the cool glass of the mirror, stared into his own life drained eyes, and ran his hand over his tired-looking face, he knew that was a lie. He was already a dead man. He just wasn't in a grave. Not yet. He pushed wayward strands of black and purple hair out of his face, cursing softly when they stubbornly fell right back into his eyes. 

Eridan glanced up into the mirror one last time before closing his eyes with a soft, weak sigh and thinking to himself 

Life sucks. 

 

Π=Π=Π=Π=Π=Π=Π=Π=Π=Π=Π=Π 

 

 

Its three days later. Its cold, storming and basically just miserable outside. 

Eridan Ampora, the young man from just a while ago, is standing on the front porch of the house of his best friend, who apparently doesn't have the common decency to live in a house that has a roof covering the front door. 

Eridan glanced around at his surroundings. A small cluster of your average day suburban houses. Perfectly trimmed grass and white picket fences all around. He rolled his eyes, turning his face back towards the door. Just as he did, the door swung open. 

Now the person who greeted him had light green eyes, and reddish-brown curls, just like his friend, but it wasn't who he was expecting. 

"...Kar?" Eridan asked, saying the name slowly, and looking a bit confused. The slightly taller, sweater clad version of his best friend shook his head and took a step back to let Eridan in. "Not exactly." The man said, laughing softly. Eridan nodded slowly, stepping inside and sliding off his shoes. He sat them near the door -- though usually he would have made himself comfortable and chucked them somewhere -- as the man began to talk again. 

"Karkat has been waiting for you. He's right upstairs." He smiled. It made Eridan uncomfortable, the way that this stranger seemed to know him. That's when he realized, that he did. Eridan froze, his eyes widening comically. 

"Kankri!" 

Eridan and the not-such-a-stranger guy turned their heads to see Karkat raging towards them. Karkat grabbed Eridan by the arm and started pulling him away from his brother. "Alright, reunion time over. Whatever fucking pictures he's shown you are photoshopped." The smaller, angrier, version of Sweater-man proclaimed. 

"Watch your language, Karkat." Kankri sighed, crossing his arms. Eridan chuckled, amused. "Yeah, Kar. W-Watch your language." He teased, wincing when Karkat's grip tightened on his arm. "Shut it." He growled, shaking his head and pulling Eridan up the stairs, and away from his brother. Karkat swung open his bedroom door and shoved Eridan inside. Eridan stumbled, falling face first on to the ground. But he was still laughing. 

"Calm dow-wn. I w-was only hav-vin' a simple conv-versation w-with your clone. W-Why didn't you tell me Kanny w-was back?" Eridan grinned as he pushed himself off the floor and on to the bed. Karkat rolled his eyes, sitting down next to him. "Don't call him 'Kanny', first of all. You should be kissing my fucking ass right now, because trust me, I just saved yours. He isn't as 'cool' as he used to be. Not that he ever was." He huffed, grabbing a video game controller off of his beside table. He handed it over to Eridan, before grabbing one for himself. Eridan chuckled softly, rolling his eyes. "Your brother w-will nev-ver not be cool, but w-whatev-ver. Hey. W-watch this," Eridan said, picking up a rubber ball off of the ground. Karkat turned towards him, raising an eyebrow. Eridan squinted at the Xbox that was perched on top of Karkat's television, before chucking the ball at it. The ball hit the power button, bounced off the edge of Karkat's study desk, and landed right back into Eridan's open palm. Karkat stared at Eridan, his eyes widened slightly. After a second, Karkat dropped his controller and started clapping. Eridan smirked, bowing as best as he could while sitting down. Karkat reached over, snatching the ball from him. "Let me try." Karkat said, glancing around for somewhere to aim. Eridan started grabbing at the ball. "Kar, no, your eyesight sucks." Eridan laughed, yanking the ball back. Karkat scoffed, pouncing at him. The fell backwards, wrestling. "Your the only one here with glasses, shitbag." Karkat grunted, prying at Eridan's fingers fruitlessly. Eridan laughed, trying to push Karkat off of him with no success. "And your the only one here that needs them." Eridan retorted, reminding his friend that he only wore the glasses because he thought they looked cool, not because he needed them. "Eridan let go of my ball, god damnit!" Karkat yelled, just as his older brother opened his bedroom door. Kankri stared at the two of them, eyes widened slightly. It took him a few seconds to take in the fact that his younger brother was sitting on top of another man, yelling about balls. Kankri blinked slowly as Eridan and Karkat turned their heads to look at him. 

"Should I... Come back later?" He asked, preparing to turn around and leave the two boys to their.. activities. Karkat pushed himself off of Eridan. "Whatever you think is happening, is not happening." Karkat said, shaking his head. "Were fighting over one of my balls." Karkat tried to explain. Kankri stared at him silently for a moment before nodding slowly. "Uh huh. Well. I'll leave you to that. Dinners done. Eat when your ready." Kankri said as he turned around and left the room, closing the door behind him. 

Karkat groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "Congratulations. You've scarred my brother. And knowing him and his big mouth, you'll be scarring my father the second he walks into the house." Karkat sighed, flopping back on to the bed. Eridan held his hands up in defense. "Hey. I w-wasnt the one yellin' about balls, Kar. This is on you." He grinned, tossing Karkat the rubber ball and picking up his controller. Karkat rolled his eyes, throwing the ball into his dirty clothes hamper, and picking up his own controller. "Go to hell, Ampora." He scoffed, starting the game. Eridan smiled weakly, shaking his head.

"I'll be headin' to the pit of flames and eternal doom soon enough." He said, not pulling his eyes away from the screen. Karkat went quiet. Not normal quiet, or 'I have nothing to say' quiet. More of a depressed quiet. After the game was over and Eridan had won, Karkat tossed his controller on to the floor. "I quit, fuck you and your ability to play video games." Karkat huffed, pulling the cord of his nightstand lamp to turn it off, and then turning on the radio because he knew Eridan couldn't fall asleep without music on or he'd have nightmares. At least they both liked the same Alt. Rock station. 

Karkat laid back and pulled a blanket over himself, sighing shakily before looking over at Eridan. Eridan was sliding under the covers as well, laying his head down on his favorite of Karkat's pillows before raising an eyebrow at him. 

"W-Whats w-wrong?" Eridan asked quietly. Karkat shook his head, closing his eyes. "It's nothing.. Go to sleep." He mumbled in a tone that said the conversation was over. 

Eridan stared at him for a moment longer before closing his eyes and sighing. And after a while, he fell into a restless sleep.

And goddamned Centuries was on again in the background.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiatus Over! ! Guuuys, Sorry. . Could y'all leave suggestions for human Signless' s name? ?

Eridan looked around the small, dark room trying to sort out where he was at and how he'd gotten there. Through foggy memory, the last thing he remembered was he and Karkat both waking up at 2:34 in the morning and deciding it was a fabulous time to race to an all night bar they both liked. 

The vile taste of alcohol lingering on his breath and a pounding in his head confirmed his previous nights location well enough for him to believe it. If he had been at a bar at two in the morning, it must've been The Tipsy Nostalgic.  
A small 24/7 place down on North Madison, where Karkat knew a girl who could get them in without the hassle of fake ID's. One Miss Roxy Lalonde, described by Karkat very vaguely, as a 'Really cool chick'. Eridan had been to that bar a couple of times before, but it had always been his older brother sneaking him in, and he'd never encountered any Roxy Lalonde. Either that or he simply didn't remember her.

 

Cronus Ampora, his older brother, was notorious for how much he could down without actually getting drunk. It was a trait that he shared with their father, and most other Ampora's. Excluding Eridan of course. He could get smashed just looking at alcohol, but it wasn't like he was old enough to be drinking anyhow. And he certainly wasn't old enough to be getting into drinking games with the likes of his older brother.

 

~~~ 10:48 pm, The previous night.

 

Karkat Vantas stared blankly at the bouncer looking down at him, demanding an ID. If he'd known that Roxy wouldn't be on duty, he would've thought to take Kankri's. They looked enough alike for Karkat to pass as his brother. That meaning they were practically identical. 

Just as he turned around to leave, Eridan fell at his feet, breathing heavily."That...W-wasnt a race, you v-vile excuse for a human being!" Eridan huffed in between long intakes of breath. Karkat rolled his eyes and pulled Eridan off of the ground.

"I was joking dumbass. Did you really run all the way here?" He asked. Eridan grumbled under his breath, otherwise ignoring Karkat as he wiped at his pants before turning towards the cross-armed bouncer. The man shook his head. "No ID, No entrance." He said firmly. Eridan rolled his eyes.

"I'm here for my brother," He said dryly. The bouncer took off his shades and looked closer at Eridan, nodding reluctantly when he recognized him. It wasn't uncommon for Eridan to come drag his brother from the bar.

Cronus was the type to start fights, and well, get uninvitingly handsy when drunk. He did these things while sober too, but that wasn't Eridan's problem.Sadly, drunk or sober, it never seemed to be their father's problem. He didn't take well to his oldest son, just as Cronus didn't like him. Eridan wasn't exactly fond of his brother either, or so hr claimed, but someone had to keep his wannabe-greaser ass out of jail.

The bouncer stepped aside and let Eridan in, dragging Karkat in behind him. The bar was crowded that particular night, but not so much that they had trouble getting to the counter. A good deal of the people there were gathered around the pool tables on the other side of the room anyways.

Eridan and Karkat sat down on two of the 70's styled counter-stools and waited for a bartender to come over.Karkat scowled a bit when he recognized one of the girls on duty. The name tag on her white button down shirt said 'Roxy Lalonde.'

Karkat was about to call her over, but before he could open his mouth, she'd twirled her way over to him.

"How's it going, shortstop?" She smiled, taking a small sip from the drink she wasn't supposed to have, since she was on duty. Karkat frowned more and leaned against the counter.

"I thought you weren't here tonight. You weren't at the door," He said accusingly. Roxy grinned and shook her head, her shoulder-length blonde waves bouncing around as she moved. "Sorry kid. I do have a job here you know. And it isn't sneaking you in." She winked, drinking from her glass again.

Karkat rolled his eyes, which were practically glowing, and straightened his posture. "It's not like you do it." He joked, grinning softly.

"Oh shut up," Roxy laughed, covering her eyes with one hand. Her laugh filled out the bar, and caused a few people to glance in her direction. She just had one of those kinds of laughs that drew attention.

Eridan watched the two of them quietly as they started talking about one of Roxy's new tattoos and how she only kept getting more because she had a thing for the tattoo designer. 

He quickly grew bored of watching Karkat fawn over their bartender and rested his forehead on the countertop. If not for the loudness of the bar and a sudden pair of hands on his shoulders, he might have fallen asleep. He didn't know why he agreed to come out tonight.

"Look who it is. Mr. Lightweight Championship." The stranger chuckled. Eridan groaned internally as he recognized the voice, and the nickname. He picked his head up and swatted at his brothers hands, turned his chair around to face him and frowned.

"Cronus," He greeted, in an aristocratic, but bored tone. 

The elder Ampora sat down next to him and ordered each of them a drink from one of the other bartenders. She came back with their drinks a minute later and said something in Japanese that only Cronus seemed to understand. A bright blush covered Cronus's cheeks as she walked away.

"Woah." He chuckled under his breath. Eridan grimaced, shaking his head in disappointment at the fact that they were related. And maybe just a little jealous that his brother seemed to be getting his 'love life' in order. Even one sided flirting counts as in order by an Ampora's standard. Especially if you weren't the one flirting.

Aside from being known for their ability to drink an ocean without getting even just tipsy, the family was infamous for flirting with anything that moved, and being rejected. Eridan didn't consider either of these things good traits. Most likely due to the fact that he only shared the latter. Eridan'd had his own unlucky run in with romance a few months back. 

But everyone has to learn not to date the girl they used to make friendship bracelets with at some point right?

Feferi Peixes, former girlfriend, former best friend. Her mother, Candace Peixes, along with being the mayor, owned a large baking company, and his father worked for her.

That's how they'd met, way back in second grade. Her mother had stopped by their house to talk with their father, bringing her two daughters with her. He and Feferi didn't start getting along immediately. He was awkward, and she was shy, so the only ones talking were Meenah and Cronus. 

It was relatively silent between the two youngest, until after Meenah and Cronus wandered off. As soon as they were gone, Eridan had turned to Feferi and said, 

"Your sister's a bitch."

After a few seconds of shocked silence at his 'vocabulary', obviously picked up from his sailor mouth father, she laughed. 

And an unbreakable bond was created. Well, at least they thought it was unbreakable. Puberty and Sollux Captor thought otherwise.

Now of course, they didn't stay innocent little kids forever. Years of play dates later, they were fourteen, and Eridan was hopelessly fawning over her. It was the saddest, most cliche thing ever. He'd carry her books during school, open her doors, and call her every chance he got. She was oblivious to his feelings, though, and it was obvious that she didn't feel the same way.

Eridan wasn't always the saddest sob story known to man in the love department, and during those teen years, he'd had his fair share of people ask him out. Both ladies and handsome young men, but he'd deny everyone, out of dumb hope that Feferi would just magically realize that she loved him. This never happened. It wasn't until they were nineteen that Feferi confronted him about the way he'd been clinging to her. It was a long, stressful night. And alright, maybe it involved some teary eyes, but it wasn't fruitless. After so long, he'd finally done it! He came clean, and walked away victorious. Feferi Peixes was his.

Alas, his major achievement would only last for a year and half. It was the night of his twentieth birthday that Sollux Captor came along and ruined everything. 

Everything.

All of it. 

He, Feferi, Cronus and Karkat had all gone out to a bar. It was fancier, and louder than The Tipsy Nostalgic, but Cronus had wanted to take him somewhere nice. It wasn't five minutes before everyone had split up.

Eridan and Karkat migrated to a fairly deserted corner to be the lonely shits that they were, Cronus went wherever Cronus's go, and judging by who she left with, Feferi found her way to Sollux Captor. 

Eridan pulled himself out of the past, already becoming depressed by his thoughts. His restless hands grabbed his drink and he knocked it back as quickly as he could, in a failed attempt to wash away her memory. Cronus raised an eyebrow at him, and picked up his own glass, drinking it even faster. 

"Slow down chief. Don't need you on the floor." Cronus teased. Scowling, Eridan ordered another drink. His brother took this as a challenge, and ordered for himself another too. And they kept drinking, and drinking, until someone was pulling him out of the bar and into a car.

He didn't put up a struggle. 

He could've been getting kidnapped and he wouldn't have gave a single shit.

Through his drunken haze, he'd thought it was Karkat putting him into the cars back seat. It looked like Karkat, but Karkat was sprawled out over him, laughing in drunken hysteria and yelling goodbye to Roxy, who was waving back with equal enthusiasm from the bars entrance. 

Kankri, then. It must've been Kankri.

~~~Present

Yes, it was coming back to him now. He'd accidentally gotten into a drinking competition with his older brother, and knowing them, they'd either started acting like goddamn drunken idiots, or gotten into a fight, and Kankri had swooped in to save the day. Seeing as how he wasn't in massive amounts of pain aside from his head, which felt like he'd gotten into a caged match with fucking Satan, he assumed that violence had been minimum.

Eridan felt around in the dark, and his hand bumped into something almost immediately. It was firm, but not rock solid. Like.. another body? He poked the strange lump until it began moving around.

"Stop that, fuckass. Let me sleep." The lump wiggled around unhappily.

Eridan recognized the special mix of 'I Hate Everyone & Everything' as Karkat's feral hissing in the form of words, and immediately relaxed.

Eridan had plenty of experience like this. They had known each other since birth, after all. And their mother's had known each other even before that. Waking up next to each other after a night like their last wasn't uncommon. In fact, waking up together just wasnt unusual, period. They were always dressed, anyhow. 

Knowing better than to try to wake Karkat up, Eridan slid out of the bed. As he flicked on a lamp, he realized that he wasn't in his room, nor was he in Karkat's, the two most common places they ended up at.

Instead of the blue-gray of Karkat's walls, he was surrounded by fading brick-red. Through foggy memory, Eridan remembered this was Kankri's room, and took the free time he seemed to have on his hands as an opportunity to sneak around. He hadn't been in here in such a long time, yet his feet knew exactly where to take him.

Without a second thought, he dropped to his knees in front of the oak desk that sat in the corner and squinted at the wall behind it. Though it had faded, he could still see his their initials carved into the wall. His, Karkat's and Kankri's.Eridan smiled at the fond memories of spending hours upon hours in this room before Kankri had moved across the country to live with their his aunt and grandmother, nearly ten years ago. It had been a rough, painful night when the elder Vantas boarded the midnight train to New York city. He and Karkat were only eleven at the time. Kankri would've been around thirteen. 

Eridan remembered he and Karkat practically clinging to Karkat, and crying for him not to go. They'd drawn a lot of attention to themselves that night, and honestly didn't care. Eridan raised an eyebrow, curious as his eyes landed on a small jewelry box that was neatly tucked into the corner. On top of it was a little key that looked like it would fit perfectly into the boxes lock. He reached out and slowly picked up the box, careful not to drop the key as he brought it towards himself.

Eridan picked up the key and sat it on the floor next to him before going back to his examination. The box had a thin layer of dust coating the top, except where the key had been, and where he'd touched it and left fingerprints.He handled the box as if it were a delicate gem instead of a cheap old jewelry box. He knew Kankri, and he wasn't exactly a sentimentalist, unlike the younger Vantas who got easily attached, and had a tendency to hoard stuff. If Kankri had kept this strange old box long enough to get dusty, it had to be important.With careful movements, he unlocked the box. The thing he saw hit him like a brick wall, and drew immediate tears. He couldn't decipher whether they were happy tears, sad tears, or both as he stared down into the cheerful light brown eyes of his mother. 

 

~•~~~~~~~~•~•~

 

The photograph was obviously old.

It had been taken outside on a sunny day. Kankri's birthday, to be specific. Sitting in a white lawn chair, farthest to the left, was Eridan's mother. Violet Ampora. Her eyes were bright and childish, as was the smile on her lips. A few wayward stands of the dyed-violet hair that had prompted Eridan to dye a streak in his own fell into her face.

Beside her was Karkat and Kankri's mother, Scarlette Vantas. Their resemblance was striking. The lengthy, untameable mess of red curls and sparkling green-gold eyes screamed Vantas. So did the strong, smart and devilish look in her eyes. Unlike his own mother, Scarlette was still alive. She'd gone off on a business trip, and was due back tomorrow. Eridan couldn't wait for her return. She'd always cared for him as if he were her own, even after his Mother's death. He even called her Mama Vantas.

In the middle of the two women was a boy, around six, who Eridan assumed to be Kankri. 

In his arms, Kankri protectively cradled two younger kids, around three years old. Eridan slowly recognized one of them as himself, and the other as Karkat. Baby Eridan and Karkat were both climbing all over Kankri in the photo, yet he kept a nearly blank expression. The only emotion presented was a small smile struggling to stay up. It was evident Kankri didn't want to be there. Even at six, he'd never liked birthday parties, or attention. He wouldn't say anything out loud though, he wouldn't want to be rude. Eridan let out a shaky breath, lifting that picture out of the box to show another one. This one wasnt as emotional. It was a simple black and white picture of Karkat as a child. Eridan had the same one at home, just as Karkat had one of him. He was about to move on to the next when someone opened the bedroom door. The smell of bacon poured into the room, and Eridan started scrambling to get the pictures and the box back where they belonged.

But not before Kankri had crouched down next to him and rested his hand over Eridan's to keep him from putting the box down. Eridan couldn't decide whether he couldn't seem to speak due to nervousness, or because holy shit Kankri was practicality holding his hand. 

Though the latter made little to no sense, Either way, his hormones were out of wack and his heart was thumping. Eridan swallowed thickly, blinking a few times before he looked back up at Kankri.

He might've expected suspicion in Kankri's expression.

Maybe even anger.

But never stoicism.

Kankri's stare was blank, yet intense, as it had been in the old photo and Eridan was finding it quite difficult to look away. Kankri didn't look away either, and the strength behind his stare did nothing but intensify itself. As if this wasn't already uncomfortable, a strange feeling began to tickle his insides. It spread slowly and quickly, like poison, until it finally choked his chest.

Suddenly, his skin was afire and the atmosphere around them was thicker, it was harder to breathe and even harder to think straight. Eridan desperately wanted Kankri to look away now.

But he didn't. Not for at least a whole minute.

In his mind, angels began chorusing and a bright light shined down upon the Earth. Apparently, there was such thing as God, because Kankri finally averted his gaze, and let go of his hand. As soon as he did, Eridan's cheeks blazed red. 

And he still couldn't understand exactly why. 

Kankri put the pictures back into the box, and then put the box back into the corner. With only a moments hesitation, Kankri stood back up. Eridan did the same, but still kept his eyes off of him.The plate of food that Kankri had sat on his dresser wasn't nearly as interesting as Kankri himself, but Eridan ignored his newfound urge to stare and kept his eyes locked on the plate.

The plate was a lot less dangerous to he caught staring at, and frankly, Eridan was getting a bit hungry. Kankri didn't make any moves to interact with Eridan again, and Eridan was more than content with standing there awkwardly.

After a few minutes, the silence got to Eridan and his mind began to wander down a light clouded path called 'Daydreaming'. His actual vision seemed to fog up, the daydream only playing itself out in his peripheral vision.

He saw nothing for a few moments, only felt that wonderfully drowsy and suffocating feeling of slipping out of realities grip. Though beyond that grip, there was nothing, he was content swimming in the warmth. 

Until suddenly there was actual warmth and deep, piercing green eyes. 

Eridan was an inch away from flipping his shit, because Kankri was an inch away from his goddamn face and that weird choking feeling was invading his chest again. He blinked a few times, bringing Vantas Not-So-Junior into full focus. Kankri was staring at him expectantly, as if waiting for something.

Eridan wondered if he'd been asked something. Luckily, Kankri prompted him again.

"Eridan? Did you hear me?" He asked.

Maybe this was because they were alone, except for Karkat of course, and it was much quieter, but Eridan just then realized how mature and levelheaded Kankri's voice was. Just the same as it'd been all that time ago.

"No," Eridan frowned, shifting awkwardly.   
With a soft, almost fond sigh, Kankri nodded once.

"I asked if you were hungry? I've brought food. Now, I was assuming that you and Karkat have given up on attempting veganism. No offense, if you haven't. I can remove the bacon, if that's the case. It actually was quite unnecessary and rude of me to make such assumptions, I do apologize." Kankri spoke precisely.

Eridan almost wanted to cross his arms and pretend to be offended, just for a sure to get reaction. He and Karkat had gone and passed that phase eons ago.

He shook his head with a faint smirk. "That's perfectly alright. That whole thing didn't last v-very long anyw-ways." Eridan admitted.

Kankri nodded again, gesturing towards the plate. "Well, then don't wait on my behalf. I'll wake Karkat," He said stepping out of Eridan's space. 

While 'one inch' was an exaggeration, Kankri had been standing rather close. Too close for comfort. Much too close for Kankri, for sure. 

He walked away from Eridan with a dismissive sway to his step, and taking his cue, Eridan started picking at the food. All he could make out of the brothers conversation was quiet, wordless mumbles. He didn't bother turning around to watch them talk, for there was no actual point to it. 

Eridan smiled when the bed creaked, signaling the younger Vantas was getting up. He knew Karkat. And he knew hungover Karkat.

It was the cutest thing ever.

Eridan wondered why everyone didn't have Karkat's hangovers.

He heard Karkat's scandalously naked feet pad softly across the wood floor, and a moment later, felt Karkat's arms wrap around his waist from behind.

With his head nuzzling Eridan's shoulder sleepily and his eyes still shielded from the cruel, cruel sunlight, he mumbled a quiet good morning.

Karkat had very nice hangovers indeed.

Eridan chuckled quietly and turned around, pulling Karkat in for a closer embrace. Karkat didn't complain, and Eridan knew he wouldn't. The alcohol in his system always seem to turn into honey overnight, slowing Karkat down and waking him up sweet, cuddly and almost sedated-like.

Basically the opposite of his usual self.

Eridan slid his fingers through Karkat's curls, and nuzzled the top of his head. His own eyes had slid shut, but he could still tell someone was watching him. He opened his eyes, and they immediately met Kankri's conflicted and confused stare.

It only then occurred to Eridan that he and Karkat's closeness must have been strange to Kankri. Kankri wasn't one for physical affection, even platonic, fluffy affection. Kankri broke their eye contact in favor of looking down at their hands.

Karkat had laced their fingers together. Eridan looked back down at Karkat to see that he'd finally opened his eyes, and was staring back up at him. Karkat smiled softly and stepped away, leaning against Eridan's side instead. Eridan instinctively wrapped his arm around the shorter male, his eyes going back up to look at Kankri. Or he would've looked at Kankri, but the older Vantas had already absconded the fuck out of there.

Eridan sighed and glanced at Kankri's bedside clock.

Through the open window, a car could be heard driving past, with the windows down and the radio up.

Fucking Centuries.

It was only 10:00 am.

Today was going to be a slow day. Or he thought.


End file.
